Okay so I know the PC took a slump several years back
I was unaware of this. When exactly was this slump?
But I am wondering because so many our going to steam and other ways to obtain games now instead of the old hard copies, is it plausible to say that PC gaming and digital (download) gaming is the future?
I don't think we'll ever see hard copies disappear. I hope we don't, anyway.
Sure, I'll download a $2 or $5 game on Steam here and there, but if I'm going to drop cash on a day one release that isn't developed by Valve (and will require Steam anyway), I'll want a physical copy. I have my SC2 box and discs to prove it.
I guess this was sparked from a friend of mine who works for GS and he said that they now have just a whole wall dedicated to digital download cards for all kinds of games, not just Xbox or PS3 specific.
I don't know if GameStop should be used as a barometer for market trends.
I apologize in advance for linking a Penny Arcade comic, but this particular strip doesn't feature profanity (rare for a PA strip) and really nails it on the head:
Q4 FTW.
GS tends to lag behind the trends and has been blamed for helping destroy PC games retail space in America (not without cause). The upside is that their shortsightedness helped give rise to digital platforms like Steam, which offers amazing sales at least a few times a year.
The reason I am asking is because I am thinking of picking up a PC compatible controller to play some of the modern shooters (THAT I DID NOT KNOW IT, BUT WILL WORK ON MY LAPTOP, not at max settings but still very nice...)
It's just my opinion, but twinsticks as a control scheme for first-person shooters is an abomination. FPS games are made to be played with a keyboard and mouse, just as platformers like Super Mario Bros. are meant to be played with a gamepad and fighters like Street Fighter II are meant to be played with an arcade stick. Sure, you can play the game with a different controller, but why? (Unless you only own a 360 and a copy of Halo 3, of course.)
This little laptop is about 2-3 years old and still is able to keep up with some of the newer stuff...NOT Brink of course but some of the others.
Anyways, I was thinking in the cheaper run, it may be wiser to just save up and purchase a new laptop in a few months that would last for 3-5 years, which is generally the life span of the console anyways...
I think we'll see the market for gaming laptops expand in the next few years and desktops become less and less relevant. I have mixed feelings about the trend as I'm still hoping to build a desktop gaming rig when funds allow, but I've come to love the mobility of a laptop that can also play games.
Okay maybe I am thinking the opposite of what some may think but I am trying to think of what I do have and how I can use it to enjoy my gaming hobby without sinking too much money into it.
Then hit up
GOG, watch for sales on GOG and Steam, and, if money's really tight, search for lists of excellent freeware games.
There is no shortage of excellent games available on the cheap. Even new PS3 and 360 games which launch at $60 are very often marked down to $40 or less with months of release.
For me, digital download for the PC isn't the future, it is the present. I buy almost all of my games exclusively from Steam. I love the convenience and the savings. I generally don't buy until games are deeply discounted.
Same here. But I'll still prefer a hard copy of a non-Valve game unless the price is significantly lower as a digital download.
I think the future of gaming will be cloud gaming, e.g., OnLive.
You may be right, but I hope you're wrong. I think cloud gaming will co-exist alongside digital downloads and physical copies. As a person who immediately asks, "What's the worst case scenario?" of nearly any new technology, cloud gaming sounds like a terrible proposition. What happens if the servers go down? What if there's a surge of activity (say, during a promotion or sale) and the servers aren't up to the task?
Regarding a PC controller: If you have a WII Classic Controller, you can purchase this adapter to hook it up to your PC. I am asking for one for father's day.
http://www.amazon.com/WII-CLASSIC-CONTROLLER-PC-USB-Nintendo/dp/B003711698
I'd advise skipping that purchase and just pick up an inexpensive (but still legitimate) Bluetooth adapter instead (that is, if your desktop or laptop doesn't already have Bluetooth capabilities). There's free software to
pair your Wii controller to your PC and use it as a game controller.
Better yet, save up and pick up a
Logitech F710. (It's on my Amazon Wish List right now.)
Yeah I am looking at games like Battlefield 2, and some of the others that are dirt cheap now. Although is I was honest I have several games I need to finish before even thinking of getting any more.
When you're considering purchasing an older game with an emphasis on multiplayer (like Battlefield 2), keep in mind that the online communities for those games are likely very small and advanced. Put another way: There aren't nearly as many people playing Day of Defeat 1.3 now as there were back in 2000 and the few that are still playing will very likely
stomp you into the ground unless you're a FPS prodigy.
The exception, of course, is Half-Life and its Deathmatch mode, which I maintain is the single most fun FPS at LAN parties.
